Visitors from the East — you know Kansas.

The apartments were full!  in more ways than one!  (if you get my drift).  Julie, Caroline, Will and Eric were here.  Much talked about, anticipated and looked forward too.  The excitement, noise and general hubbub was well you get my drift.  It was fun.  and such happy times.  One heck of a full breakfast table too.

The first morning we were off on a "short"approx.  three mile hike into Hewlett Gulch.  A valley we had hiked before and Luke's favorite.  Note his appearance as the photos progress to get an idea as to why.

There are many stream crossings on this hike and the options for crossing are multiple.  I chose to stay dry being on the crotchety side of sixty.  Point should be made that I was not the only one who stayed dry on the trip as two thirty something first cousins did as well.

Help was available for the tricky option of staying dry and was offered freely and eagerly.  Seems as if volunteers were called on to be "helped".

Having an engineer - a studied- engineering- in- college- engineer made for a rather serious design when it came to the locating and building of the lets-build-a-dam moment of creek play.  Impressive to say the least.  The kids did the building, but got some suggestions on placement I am thinking.

the return trip had some threatening skies and a few drops of rain did fall as we got to the trail head and parking lot.

Luke's return trip.  

and obviously not the 

"rocking egg" 

at this moment. 

 Continuing in slow motion, the next morning, an early start got us up and out and on the way to the Rocky Mountain National Park.  Visitors to the Park know that it is full of photo ops.  This was one.  Luke has become interested in and proud of his "take a picture".

Julie and Laura spent a lot of time together and it was nice to see them and their kids together.

there are rocks to climb

grandkids and nieces and nephews to be with

snowball fights to have 

and be a big target.

the former Hawaiians were singularly excited to see snow / slush.  

Wildlife got hoots and hollers.  

and we did go on a serious hike involving altitude too.  Starting at over 9,000 feet going up another 1000 past a series of lakes.

 The views were astounding over the cliffs and points along the path up the valley toward the ice fields.

one of the lakes that we hiked too.

like I said we did have some serious views the afternoon hiking back down from the upper lake.

those would the "the Rangers" checking the water temperature.  Will and Caroline lead the kids into forming a Club and Julianna Lydia and Isaac sure had a good time climbing over rocks and moving through the forest.  Eric felt a little left out at times, John Paul and Luke continued to be in worlds of their own.

Caroline and John Paul were hiking buddies.

Dream lake, the last of the series of lakes, Emerald and Nymph were the first two we hiked past.

and a tired Big E on the trail down hill.

a short, but wonderful visit.  

great hikers, those former Hawaiians now Jayhawks 

DID it. a Colorado "Fourteener" — that is 14,000 feet elevation mountain climbed

Bucket List !!  a Colorado  Fourteener !  

Matt and Laura sure helped make this happen, and I much appreciate their assistance.  Being here helped get me acclimated to altitude and as Patt was away, Laura who was to accompany us and help carry some of the supplies stayed with the kids, so Matt and I climbed set out for an adventure.

at 7:00 AM people were wearing toboggans and gloves, it was cold and windy at Mt Bierstadt trail head in Arapahoe National Forest, west of Denver off I-70 near the town of Georgetown.  

To cut to the chase, we made it.  Got to the top just before noon, four hours hike of almost four miles.   By the end of the hike, Matt ended up carrying my share of the water and most of my extra clothing.  I was about beat.  Besides Matt had a large pack and had space in his pack so it was no problem.  This was Matt's second fourteener as he and Laura hiked Long's Peak back in 01 or 02 or sometime in the past when they were in Colorado.

This is how I felt.  There were a lot of peppy young people up there, bouncing around, a few old guys too must have been up there as some we met on the trail also acknowledged being up top.  Passed 'em coming down too.

This is the schematic of the hike.  and yes it is steep.  Will make your thighs burn, pulse get high and do a little heavy breathing.

Actual elevation of Mt Bierstadt is 14,060 feet.  There is a slight drop from trail head to peak through the valley near the lake that is visible in a few of the photographs looking back toward the trail head.  

 though the hike starts innocently enough thorough some chaparral (?) of varying height,

It was one of those beautiful clear days that did warm up though remained a bit windy and we had some magnificent views.

Once into the open we had clear view of the trail and that we were not alone.  We also know that as we got passed often. 

 The higher we went the more rocky it became.  and it got real rocky.

The peak of the mountain was referred to as the "rock pile" and there it is.  At this point I am taking little half steps s l o w l y.

In the rock pile I found my self just standing often, trying to find a place to next take a movement to make progress upward that did not involve major muscle groups having to move a lot.  In other words shuffling along as in the previous picture was no longer an option.

 Walking along the ridge line down from the peak — not too narrow a ridge and due to the terrain not one given to taking a lot of time to enjoy the view and continue moving.

the views were great-  and air clear-  no idea as to how far we were seeing but it was pretty far.

the view of the other side of the mountain- looking east

had a nice thirty minute lunch break / rest here at the top with this view too.

 and out of the rock field before the chaparral there were lots of varieties and an abundance of wild flowers.

 just off the rock pile one of several snow packs.

(we did not have to walk through any snow)

Mt Bierstadt in the distance.  When this photo was taken, on the way down my legs were quivering from the effort of trying to stand still as Matt also took a panorama photo.  

after a little over two hours of walking down, back at the trail head, Mt Bierstadt in the distance.

Thanks again especially to Matt for helping make this bucket list day happen!  A wonderful hiking day and hiking partner.  Time for more bucket list things to be checked off.  

more life in Fort Collins part 2

Fort Collins is almost to cute.  For a city of 140,000 and a university of 25,000, Colorado State, it is amazingly small scale,  spread out and flat.  Bicycles galore.  In front of the Target there was a bike rack. with bikes in it.  

It is also hot and dry.  like really dry.  But apparently not out of water for irrigation.

We have enjoyed the apartment living and our across the breezeway neighbors who have provided lots of household help.

Fascination with our laundry has continued from days back in Raleigh.  Hopefully this will continue when they get a few years older and visit with us.

Patt, aka Grandmama, has no fear when it comes to soliciting or accepting help in the kitchen, note the hands on the mixer and the number of kids in the chair.  Helping cook and actually help clean up is a big deal around here.  We are expecting that to continue too?

With the cooking comes the sampling part too.  John Paul is good with that.

Not quite ready for hair dressing but discussing the affairs of the day —

and Patt gets  help selecting a book from the library.  We have enjoyed the library and have been about once a week for a resupply of books.

There is a "Farm" next to a city park that we all visited one weekend where there are numerous animals to be fed.  We got there early and at 25 cents a bag for a bag of grain, Matt spent a small fortune and by the time we left the goats and chickens were about to founder, but the kids did feed the animals.

They also rode horses, and I think I mentioned it was hot in Fort Collins.  Well outside of the shade it was for sure.

and riding the horses involves a little time in the sun.  I think it was more fun for the kids to talk about afterward than the actual ride.  There was a lot of comparison after the ride concerning the various horses.

And I have had a chance to take a granddaughter on a date for brunch and bike ride to the park.

These two have played a lot in the courtyard or our apartment complex, here having set up a ring toss game.

and one afternoon Patt and I took our youngest two charges back to the kids museum where Luke spent nearly the entire time blocking ducks in the water chute and loudly taking command of the process shouting directions to other participants in the play area.

John Paul meanwhile spent an equal amount of time in solitary play in a complex and very large wooden train set table that allowed much movement within the train play area.

and the summer saga continues